Stream Oliver Spalding’s melancholic masterpiece ‘Novemberism’ out now
STREAM OLIVER SPALDING’S DEBUT ALBUM ‘NOVEMBERISM’
CD/LP/DIGITAL ALBUM- OUT NOW ON MONOTREME RECORDS
“A melancholic masterpiece… Golden, a wintry spine-chiller, and Xanax, a 1980s-indebted beauty, should be among the songs of the year” – The Sunday Times
“The oldest trick in the pop music book is to code your saddest feelings as bright, explosive pop songs — which explains why “Novemberism,” is such a delicate and effervescent delight.” – The FADER
“The baroque flourishes are dictated by lush 80s style synthetic layers of sound…Recalling the Blue Nile in its sheer scope, Oliver Spalding’s work contains a highly singular DNA… crisp, widescreen mini-epic, cinematic in its placement of texture and tone.” – Clash Magazine
“Novemberism” is the debut album of 23-year-old UK artist Oliver Spalding. As with his debut EP “Unfurl” (2017), the album was written and recorded with producer Ed Tullett (Novo Amor).
Built around Spalding’s staggeringly beautiful voice, the record is full of melodic, immediate songwriting and arresting electronic production.
Asked about his choice of title, Spalding explains, “To be melancholy all year round is to suffer from Novemberism.” And indeed, these 11 tracks are woven together with a common thread of heavyheartedness. Even the more upbeat songs, like title track “Novemberism” and “Bow Creek”, which drive and glisten with intoxicating pop hooks and 80s era synths, recall the darker undercurrents of classic New Order.
Says Spalding, “The album focuses on a certain period of time in my life and the things that happened around me. My honesty in songwriting is key. The aim of this album was to be raw and emotional. Emotions are scary and no one wants to face them, and that’s what I wanted the album to feel like – something that is uncomfortable but also beautifully revealing.
Synthesizers feature heavily across the record, including single “Bow Creek”, where iridescent synth stabs and lush strings wash over a hazy, late-night London. “I’m a huge Roxy Music fan”, says Spalding, “I love Brian Ferry’s work and take inspiration from the Prophet synth sounds on the 80s Bruce Springsteen records.
Opener “Athamé” explodes the record into life with a barrage of saxophone and cymbals, before settling down to “Xanax”’s addictive delayed guitar lines and Spalding’s world-weary vocals. The slow, dark R&B simmer of “Her Crescent” reflects in the dark, ethereal pool of Björk-influenced soundscape “Emissive”, and the quietude of the delicate, piano-led heartbreaker “Golden” gives room to breathe after the gloomy electronic cacophony of “AIBM”. Elsewhere in the album, “Unreal” sees Spalding’s gossamer, spine-tingling falsetto soar to the heavens, and epic power ballad “Everglades” lifts Spalding’s voice to its towering, affecting peak, bringing the album to a close with a shudder of thundering drums.
T R A C K L I S T I N G
- Athameì 2. Xanax 3. Her Crescent 4. Novemberism 5. Unreal 6. A Stop 7. Emissive
- AIBM 9. Golden 10. Bow Creek 11. Everglades
OLIVER SPALDING
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MONOTREME RECORDS
Credits:
Music and lyrics by Oliver Spalding and Ed TullettLead vocals by Oliver Spalding | Harmony vocals by Ed TullettViolin by David Grubb
Drums and piano by Ali LaceySaxophone and flute by Anna PerryAll other instruments by Ed Tullett and Oliver Spalding
Recorded by Ed Tullett | Mixed by Ed Tullett and Greg Giorgio | Mastered by Joe Lambert
Images by Benjamin Bardou
LABEL: MONOTREME RECORDS
CAT NO: Mono-140CD, MONO-140VNL, MONO-140DD
DISTRIBUTION: Cargo Records, The Orchard (digital)
TERRITORY: Worldwide
RELEASED: 15 November 2019